Estimation of fine-root production using rates of diameter-dependent root mortality, decomposition and thickening in forests

Abstract Aims Clipping or mowing for hay, as a prevalent land-use practice, is considered to be an important component of global change. Root production and turnover in response to clipping have great implications for the plant survival strategy and grassland ecosystem carbon processes. However, our knowledge about the clipping effect on root dynamics is mainly based on root living biomass, and limited by the lack of spatial and temporal observations. The study aim was to investigate the effect of clipping on seasonal variations in root length production and mortality and their distribution patterns in different soil layers in semiarid grassland on the Loess Plateau. Methods Clipping was performed once a year in June to mimic the local spring livestock grazing beginning from 2014. The minirhizotron technique was used to monitor the root production, mortality and turnover rate at various soil depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–30 and 30–50 cm) in 2014 (from 30 May to 29 October) and 2015 (from 22 April to 25 October). Soil temperature and moisture in different soil layers were also measured during the study period. Important Findings Our results showed that: (i) Clipping significantly decreased the cumulative root production (P < 0.05) and increased the cumulative root mortality and turnover rates of the 0–50 cm soil profile for both years. (ii) Clipping induced an immediate and sharp decrease in root length production and an increase in root length mortality in all soil layers. However, with plant regrowth, root production increased and root mortality decreased gradually, with the root production at a depth of 30–50 cm even exceeding the control in September–October 2014 and April–May 2015. (iii) Clipping mainly reduced root length production and increased root length mortality in the upper 0–20 cm soil profile with rapid root turnover. However, roots at deeper soil layers were either little influenced by clipping or exhibited an opposite trend with slower turnover rate compared with the upper soil profile, leading to the downward transport of root production and living root biomass. These findings indicate that roots in deeper soil layers tend to favour higher root biomass and longer fine root life spans to maximize the water absorption efficiency under environmental stress, and also suggest that short-term clipping would reduce the amount of carbon through fine root litter into the soil, especially in the shallow soil profile.

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A new approach to estimate fine root production, mortality, and decomposition using litter bag experiments and soil core techniques

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-011-1090-6 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 355 (1-2) ◽

pp. 167-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Akira Osawa ◽

Ryota Aizawa

Keyword(s):

Fine Root ◽

Root Production ◽

Soil Core ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

New Approach ◽

Litter Bag ◽

Bag Experiments

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Fine root production and litter input: Its effects on soil carbon

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-004-3611-z ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 272 (1-2) ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

L. B. Guo ◽

M. J. Halliday ◽

S. J. M. Siakimotu ◽

R. M. Gifford

Keyword(s):

Soil Carbon ◽

Fine Root ◽

Root Production ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

Litter Input

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Fine root mass and fine root production in tropical moist forests as dependent on soil, climate, and elevation

Tropical Montane Cloud Forests ◽

10.1017/cbo9780511778384.048 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 428-444 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

D. Hertel ◽

Ch. Leuschner ◽

L. A. Bruijnzeel ◽

F. N. Scatena ◽

L. S. Hamilton

Keyword(s):

Fine Root ◽

Root Production ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

Root Mass ◽

Soil Climate

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Estimating fine root production of Scots pine stands

Nutrients in Ecosystems - Changes of Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects on Forest Ecosystems ◽

10.1007/978-94-015-9022-8_8 ◽

1998 ◽

pp. 119-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

F. Strubelt ◽

B. Münzenberger ◽

R. F. Hüttl

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Fine Root ◽

Root Production ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

Pine Stands ◽

Scots Pine Stands

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Biomass Allocation to Resource Acquisition Compartments Is Affected by Tree Density Manipulation in European Beech after Three Decades

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11090940 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 940

Author(s):

Bohdan Konôpka ◽

Milan Barna ◽

Michal Bosela ◽

Martin Lukac

Keyword(s):

Fine Root ◽

Standing Stock ◽

European Beech ◽

Forest Harvesting ◽

Tree Density ◽

Resource Acquisition ◽

Root Turnover ◽

Root Production ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

Mature Forest

This study reports on an investigation of fine root and foliage productivity in forest stands dominated by European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and exposed to contrasting intensities of mature forest harvesting. The main aim of this study was to consider the long-term effects of canopy manipulation on resource acquisition biomass compartments in beech. We made use of an experiment established in 1989, when five different light availability treatments were started in plots within a uniform forest stand, ranging from no reduction in tree density to full mature forest removal. We measured fine root standing stock in the 0–30 cm soil layer by coring in 2013 and then followed annual fine root production (in-growth cores) and foliage production (litter baskets) in 2013–2015. We found that the plot where the tree density was reduced by 30% had the lowest foliage and the highest fine root production. In 2013, this plot had the highest fine root turnover rate (0.8 year−1), while this indicator of fine root dynamics was much lower in the other four treatments (around 0.3 year−1). We also found that the annual fine root production represented around two thirds of annual foliage growth on the mass basis in all treatments. While our findings support the maintenance of source and sink balance in woody plants, we also found a long-lasting effect of tree density manipulation on investment into resource acquisition compartments in beech forests.

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Analysis of some sources of error in methods used to determine fine root production in forest ecosystems: a simulation approach

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x87-142 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 909-912 ◽

Cited By ~ 66

Author(s):

W. A. Kurz ◽

J. P. Kimmins

Keyword(s):

Root Biomass ◽

Fine Root ◽

Sampling Error ◽

Simulated Data ◽

Sampling Interval ◽

Fine Root Biomass ◽

Root Production ◽

Seasonal Patterns ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

True Value

Fine root production rates are most commonly calculated from periodic measurements of live and dead fine root biomass. The accuracy of production estimates based on this method is very sensitive to violations of the inherent assumptions, particularly the assumption that the processes of fine root production and mortality are temporally separate. A simple model was used to simulate data for a variety of seasonal patterns of live and dead fine root biomass. Fine root production and mortality rates were calculated from these simulated data using two different computational methods. Comparison of the calculated rates with the known rates (the rates used to generate the seasonal patterns) revealed that violations of the above assumptions can result in inaccurate rate estimates. When fine root production and mortality occur simultaneously within a sampling interval, the calculated production rate will greatly underestimate the true value. Additional error in the rate estimates may result from sampling error associated with the fine root biomass data. The model suggested that sampling error can cause either overestimation or underestimation of fine root production.

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Relationships among litterfall, fine-root growth, and soil respiration for five tropical tree species

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x07-057 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 37 (10) ◽

pp. 1954-1965 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes

Keyword(s):

Soil Respiration ◽

Root Growth ◽

Tree Species ◽

Fine Root ◽

Tropical Tree ◽

Root Production ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

Soil C ◽

Tropical Tree Species ◽

Fine Root Growth

Although significant advances have been made in understanding terrestrial carbon cycling, there is still a large uncertainty about the variability of carbon (C) fluxes at local scales. Using a carbon mass-balance approach, I investigated the relationships between fine detritus production and soil respiration for five tropical tree species established on 16-year-old plantations. Total fine detritus production ranged from 0.69 to 1.21 kg C·m–2·year–1 with significant differences among species but with no correlation between litterfall and fine-root growth. Soil CO2 emissions ranged from 1.61 to 2.36 kg C·m–2·year–1 with no significant differences among species. Soil respiration increased with fine-root production but not with litterfall, suggesting that soil C emissions may depend more on belowground inputs or that both fine root production and soil respiration are similarly influenced by an external factor. Estimates of root + rhizosphere respiration comprised 52% of total soil respiration on average, and there was no evidence that rhizosphere respiration was associated with fine-root growth rates among species. These results suggest that inherent differences in fine-root production among species, rather than differences in aboveground litterfall, might play a main role explaining local-scale, among-forest variations in soil C emissions.

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